EUGENE, ORE. | Are you college-bound and gay? Want to openly matriculate as a lesbian? Maybe you are bisexual or a transgender spirit. According toCollege Choice, the University of Pennsylvania might be your best and gayest diploma-mill pitstop.

It is not uncommon for public and private universities alike to offer gender-neutral restrooms in many of their buildings and gender-inclusive housing where students may room with whoever they choose. Some schools now offer LGBTQ majors and minors in a range of departments and study abroad programs that focus on gender and sexuality.

The University of Pennsylvania, commonly known as Penn, was founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1740 and is one of the country’s Colonial Colleges, established before American Revolution. It is an Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia, regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Founded over 30 years ago, Penn’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center is one of the oldest LGBTQ centers in the country. The Center offers mentorships, study space, events, as well as outreach and education for the wider university. Staff at the Center also advocate on “behalf of Penn’s LGBT community for sensitive and inclusive University policies and practices.” In addition to the Center, the university also has the Lambda Alliance, an umbrella advocacy group for queer students on campus. The Lambda Alliance’s purpose is to advance the “causes of legal and social LGBT equality on campus.”

The University of Pennsylvania leads the ranking, which evaluated and ranked schools based on publicly available information on accreditation, Campus Pride rating, academic reputation, student satisfaction, affordability, average financial aid awarded, and return on investment.

According to Christian Amondson, Managing Editor of College Choice, what started over 20 years ago as small student-led movements to address and support the needs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) students, staff, and faculty, has since developed into large public policy level changes on many campuses across the country.

This ranking highlights the best universities in the country at committing time and resources to equipping their students, staff, and faculty with tools that encourage education, support, safety, and inclusion campus-wide for the LGBTQ community and its allies. — In the Culture of One World